T1 and Fasting for a blood test

[1oldgal]

Good morning, I just have a quick question about fasting for a blood test in 2 days time. I have had T1 for about three years now and my BG is still very erratic. Every time I go for a blood test I am asked to do a fasting blood test. I usually whimp out but even so I do get stressed out about it because no one has ever explained how to do this and avoid overnight lows. I know I'm being a bit thick here but am I expected to run high overnight or not eat anything at Tea time to avoid having to use insulin? How do others do this? thanks in advance

 

[Kaylz]

As a Type 1 I've never been asked to fast for a blood test and they generally don't advise us to as there are no guarantees that even without fast acting insulin you wouldn't go low, I'd call and ask the receptionist, I'm not meaning to be nosey but what is the bloods for? xx

 

[helli]

I usually arrange my blood tests first thing in the morning before breakfast so have fasted for about 12 hours.
I don't change my usual evening meal bolus or basal dose.
If I was to go low overnight, I would treat the hypo as usual.
In other words, I aim to fast by scheduling the blood test early but don't stress if I need hypo treatment in the night.

 

[Inka]

I don’t bother to fast (is it for a cholesterol test?). If it was something where you absolutely had to fast, then I’d run slightly high (not out of range, just at the high end) to avoid any lows.

I’d contact the surgery and ask if you definitely need to fast.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I don’t bother to fast (is it for a cholesterol test?).

That seems to be why I was being asked for one. The lab they use can get better results for the lipid breakdown with a fasting test. (This time the pharmacist did the request and didn't specify that.)

 

[grovesy]

When fasting for Cholesterol is discussed it seems to vary if you need to or not.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

When fasting for Cholesterol is discussed it seems to vary if you need to or not.

I think there are different methods of testing. (And sadly apparently the lab relevant for me still requires fasting for the LDL/HDL breakdown to be accurate.) And also sometimes just overall cholesterol is fine.

 

[grovesy]

I think there are different methods of testing. (And sadly apparently the lab relevant for me still requires fasting for the LDL/HDL breakdown to be accurate.) And also sometimes just overall cholesterol is fine.

Mine usally requires fasting too !

 

[1oldgal]

As a Type 1 I've never been asked to fast for a blood test and they generally don't advise us to as there are no guarantees that even without fast acting insulin you wouldn't go low, I'd call and ask the receptionist, I'm not meaning to be nosey but what is the bloods for? xx

Hi, I'm not quite sure what its for as I can't get in contact with the DN at my surgery at the moment, I'm going to try again this afternoon, I suspect its for Cholesterol though. I do worry for exactly the reasons you have given.

 

[1oldgal]

I usually arrange my blood tests first thing in the morning before breakfast so have fasted for about 12 hours.
I don't change my usual evening meal bolus or basal dose.
If I was to go low overnight, I would treat the hypo as usual.
In other words, I aim to fast by scheduling the blood test early but don't stress if I need hypo treatment in the night.

Thank you, I have only managed to do that once (more by chance than anything else though) 🙄

 

[Kaylz]

Hi, I'm not quite sure what its for as I can't get in contact with the DN at my surgery at the moment, I'm going to try again this afternoon, I suspect its for Cholesterol though. I do worry for exactly the reasons you have given.

When I queried it I was told they don't advise fasting for Type 1's and it would only effect 1 part of the reading anyway so I was told not to bother fasting xx

 

[silentsquirrel]

I think it's the trigs that are fairly random if you don't fast - if a decision on statins is likely to be made on the results then you might want to fast if you can, but I wouldn;t stress too much if you can't!

 

[1oldgal]

When I queried it I was told they don't advise fasting for Type 1's and it would only effect 1 part of the reading anyway so I was told not to bother fasting xx

I have a telephone call booked so I'm going to ask, thanks for your help 🙂

 

[helli]

Thank you, I have only managed to do that once (more by chance than anything else though) 🙄

Do you mean get through the night without a hypo or get an early morning blood test appointment?
If you have only managed one night without a hypo, I strongly recommend talking to your diabetes team for advice on adjusting your insulin.
I hope you mean get an early blood test. I book mine as soon as the appointments are available. I am lucky to have flexibility of which day although it is usually before I start work.

 

[1oldgal]

Do you mean get through the night without a hypo or get an early morning blood test appointment?
If you have only managed one night without a hypo, I strongly recommend talking to your diabetes team for advice on adjusting your insulin.
I hope you mean get an early blood test. I book mine as soon as the appointments are available. I am lucky to have flexibility of which day although it is usually before I start work.

Hi, I have only managed to achieve both together on one occasion. I have always struggled getting through the night without intervention such as a snack or additional insulin. Its an ongoing discussion with my consultant.

 

[trophywench]

Something you could do which would be useful to both you and your consultant, would be to do a Basal insulin test.

Here's a link to how to go about it - scroll down the page to find the method.

Basal insulins « Diabetes Support Information Exchange

www.diabetes-support.org.uk

 

[AJLang]

I've previously been told, before I was on the pump, that if I had to fast but my BG had gone low to have some sugar diluted in water - that was for a general anaesthetic so I'm sure that the same would apply for a fasting blood test. When you say whimping out - do you mean that you've not been having the recommended blood tests because as a diabetic it is really important to have any tests that are recommended for you.

 

[1oldgal]

Something you could do which would be useful to both you and your consultant, would be to do a Basal insulin test.

Here's a link to how to go about it - scroll down the page to find the method.

Basal insulins « Diabetes Support Information Exchange

www.diabetes-support.org.uk

thank you I'll have a look 🙂

 

[1oldgal]

I've previously been told, before I was on the pump, that if I had to fast but my BG had gone low to have some sugar diluted in water - that was for a general anaesthetic so I'm sure that the same would apply for a fasting blood test. When you say whimping out - do you mean that you've not been having the recommended blood tests because as a diabetic it is really important to have any tests that are recommended for you.

No, I do have the test but I also have something to eat before I go to bed 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear that you are regularly having hypos at night @1oldgal

Hope you can adjust your basal insulin (and/or perhaps take it at a different time of day?) so that you don’t need to snack before bed and live in fear of overnight lows all the time 😱

Have you had access to any kind of training or education in dose adjustment?

Something like DAFNE or BERTIE (both now available online and remotely)

DAFNE (dose adjustment for normal eating):
https://dafne.nhs.uk

BERTIE Online carb-counting course:
www.bertieonline.org.uk